This invention relates generally to electricity metering, and more particularly, methods and apparatus for addressing and communicating with meter components.
Electronic electricity meters for metering multi-phase services typically include a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microcomputer. Certain functions and operations are separately performed in the DSP and microcomputer. By dividing the functionality between the DSP and microcomputer, communications of data and commands must be provided between the DSP and microcomputer. Such an architecture is complex.
In addition, such meters typically are programmed to perform certain functions. Although the meters are upgradeable, the types of upgrades that can be performed are limited to the tables and functions prestored in the meter. In addition, and in the past, increased functionality typically was a trade-off to cost. That is, adding functionality to the meter typically resulted in adding significant costs to the meter.
It would therefore be desirable to increased the flexibility of an electronic electricity meter by providing methods and apparatus for communicating and addressing a variety of input/output options. It would also be desirable if such methods and apparatus were provided to address and communicate with different types of I/O boards to provide increased functionality, as needed.